Iranian man arrested for illegally running pharmacy in Pattaya

Police arrested an Iranian man on Tuesday, January 20, for illegally operating a pharmacy in Pattaya and selling controlled drugs without permission or a pharmacist licence.

Officers from Pattaya Tourist Police, Chon Buri Immigration Office, and Chon Buri Provincial Public Health Office launched the operation after receiving complaints from locals, alleging that a foreign man was operating Kattika Pharmacy, located near Pattaya Park Beach Resort, without a licence.

Locals also claimed that controlled drugs, which must legally be dispensed by licensed doctors or pharmacists, were being sold at the shop.

Acting on the tip-off, officers conducted a sting operation on Tuesday. An undercover officer entered the pharmacy and requested Gofen 400 Clearcap, a brand of ibuprofen. Under Thai law, ibuprofen is classified as a dangerous drug and must be dispensed under proper professional supervision.

The suspect accepted the order and sold the medicine to the undercover officer, confirming the illegal activity. Police then moved in and arrested the man, later identified as 37 year old Iranian national Seyedmohammadreza Hossini, who was found to be the operator of the store.

During questioning, Hossini admitted that he had been running the pharmacy and selling medicines to customers without holding a pharmacist licence. However, police found that the pharmacy itself was legally registered under Lyoran Company, which is owned by his Thai wife, Kattika Hossini, a licensed pharmacist.

While his wife is legally authorised to operate the pharmacy and dispense medicines, police confirmed that Hossini himself had no legal right to work in the pharmacy or sell drugs.

As a result, the Iranian man was charged with four offences:

• Section 8 of the Foreigners’ Working Management Act: working without a valid work permit or engaging in work beyond permitted conditions. Penalties include a fine of 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban on applying for a work permit in Thailand.
• Section 72(4) of the Drug Act: producing, selling, importing, or ordering unregistered drugs. This offence carries a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to 10,000 baht.
• Section 58(4) of the Drug Act: producing, importing, or selling unregistered herbal medicines. Production or import carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 200,000 baht, while selling carries a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to 50,000 baht, or both.
• Section 28 of the Pharmacy Profession Act: practising pharmacy without a licence, punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 30,000 baht, or both.